10 amazing savvy-technology facts about Estonia

Worksup mobile event app is a startup company from Estonia, the land of tech-savvy experts and specialists.

Today is Independence Day here in Estonia so to celebrate we wanted to share our top ten facts about technological achievements in Estonia. Happy 100th birthday Estonia!

1# Estonia invented Skype!

This is something that probably every Estonian says when they’ll meet somebody from outside of Estonia.

In 2003, Skype was a small startup company in Estonia. Today this company has grown to a global business with over 300 million users. Even though if Skype is now owned by Microsoft, it still has offices around Tallinn.

Skype office

2# Estonia has one of the world’s best internet connections!

Could you imagine having internet connection while you are hiking in the forest? Well, in Estonia it’s possible and not only that, you could even get 4g in the forest! Estonia has one of the world’s fastest internet speeds and you’re never far from free public WiFi.

Forest in Estonia

3# Estonia has more startups per person than Silicon Valley!

Like Worksup app, there are many other startups who started from here. Estonia holds the world record for startups per person and it’s certainly outpacing the rest of Europe, also one amazing fact is that we have only 1.3 million people! The hashtag #estonianmafiawas coined by US venture capitalist David McClure in 2011 after having witnessed that among the 20 finalists in the British entrepreneur monitoring programme Seedcamp there were no less than four strong teams from Estonia.

Silcon Valley

4# Founding your own company in Estonia takes only 5 minutes!

Yes you heard it right – it takes only 5 minutes. You don’t even have to go anywhere, just set it up online using an electronic ID-card. Also, starting a company here is cheap too, you don’t need thousands of euros or loan money from bank.

5# Anyone, even you, can be e-resident here!

E-residency ID-card

Yes! Estonia provides the best e-residencey services in the world.

For example, most digital residents are now running businesses in Estonia,where number of business leaders have already tried it too. You can apply here.

6# Estonia is the world’s most advanced digital society!

Today, Estonia is hailed as the world’s most advanced digital society. Everyone here gets an ID card, which means you can also use for digital signatures. So, imagine having a vacation in Bali and you suddenly need to sign a document and send it to your business partner ? Should you fly back or just plug your ID-card into your computer ? Second choice seems a lot nicer for-sure. Whether we’re filing tax returns, booking train tickets or choosing our leaders, our ID cards are secure and easy to use.

This secure system also explains why Estonia was the first country in the world to hold its elections online.

Not to mention, Estonians took the lead and created the Presidency Portal for the Estonian Presidency and for the future presidency events in other countries. The portal used for Estonian Presidency events, called the Presidency Gateway, offered wide range of web-based solutions like document depository, agenda, logistical management system and digital tools for making group tasks and polls during the presidency events. Even Worksup conference app had a part in this! Event app was used as an additional solution to make audience interaction and networking more efficient during the Estonian Presidency conferences. Worksup interactive mobile event app was used at the Manufuture 2017 conference, The Future of Work: Making It e-Easy conference, SmartEST Taxation, Futur-e-Justice and many more.

Worksup was used during the Estonian Presidency events

8# E-government – fast track to important information!

When Estonia regained independence from the USSR in 1991, the government at the time invested heavily in the introduction of information technology, believing it to be an economic motor for the country. Today, over 100 public services are available for use and 300 forms can be filled in online. Businesses can change their file reports and addresses. People can pay fines online, book an appointment with a doctor, check the expiry date of their licences and many more.

9# Fastest country to fill out income tax return!

Already since 2000, income tax returns can be submitted electronically in Estonia, and what’s more, the system automatically calculates everything you need to know about your taxes. Like starting a company, it also takes up only 5 minutes or less. It is so convenient that 95 per cent of tax returns are submitted electronically.

10# Bank in your pocket!

Bank branches are gradually closing, because there simply is no need for them: 99 per cent of bank transfers are made electronically either on a mobile phone or a a computer. You just need your ID-card or Mobile- ID – its easy as that.